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Part Writing Explained by Function

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Part Writing Explained by Function Part Writing Explained by Harmonic Function Robert T. Kelley If you want to gain confidence in your understanding of tonal music, here is a way to look at tonal harmony that is simpler and more powerful than the traditional Roman-numeral approach. Identifying the root and quality of a chord is still an important part of analysis. In this introduction, however, we shall discover the power of thinking of chords as collections of scale degree numbers or do-re-mi solfege syllables related to the tonic. Each scale degree tends to behave in different ways depending on the type of chord in which it appears. We shall identify these behaviors using classifications called scale-degree functions. Harmonic Functions A scale-degree's behavior changes based on the chord's harmonic function. A harmonic function tells us how a chord behaves as part of the normal syntax of a phrase. All chords may be classified as tonic (T), subdominant (S), or dominant (D). Tonic chords are relatively stable, contain at least scale degree 1 or 3, and tend to be used at the beginning and end of a piece of music. Subdominant chords tend to push forward toward cadence points and frequently contain scale degree 4 or 6. Dominant chords are relatively unstable and contain at least scale degree 5 or 7. Dominants frequently demand resolution to a tonic-function chord, but they can also be used as a tentative point of repose. Note that these chord designations are not chord symbols identifying the scale degree of the chord's root, but rather descriptions of how the chord is acting within a phrase. While a IV chord is a literal subdominant chord, often a composer will instead use a ii6 chord to serve the same purpose, and we can thus label it also as functioning as a Subdominant (S). Since a chord's roman numeral will not necessarily indicate its harmonic function, a method for finding a chord's harmonic function will follow after definitions of the scale-degree functions. Harmonic Syntax: How Phrases Are Built Most musical phrases begin with tonic function, move through one or more subdominant chords, and then feature a cadence, either on the dominant, or using a dominant to resolve back to tonic. A typical phrase will therefore look like this: T ! S ! D (! T ). Any chord change moving in the direction of the arrows is called an authentic progression (AP). Table 1 gives a list of the circumstances under which music may move against the authentic flow of tonality back to the previous function. This is called plagal progression (PP), and whenever it occurs, the analyst should provide the reason using one of the abbreviations in Table 1. Table 1: Cases when plagal progression (PP) is allowed 1. Embellishing chords (passing (p) and neighboring (n) chords and pedal point (ped)) 2. Plagal (PC), deceptive (DC), and half (HC) cadences 1 Scale-Degree Functions Every diatonic scale degree can be used within a chord of any function. The use of some of these scale degrees, however, is restricted. Tables2 and3 and Figure 1 all show, in various formats, the function that each scale degree plays within each type of harmony. Students should study these charts and memorize the function of each scale degree in each harmonic context, since quickly identifying scale-degree functions will be useful for fluency in both part writing and analysis. Table 2: Scale-Degree Functions Listed by Scale-Degree Number and Harmonic Function Scale Degree Tonic Subdominant Dominant 1^ Do Foundation Primary Stabilizer Non-Chord Tone 2^ Re Non-Chord Tone Secondary Stabilizer Primary Stabilizer 3^ Mi/Me Active Tone Chordal Dissonance Sec. Stab./Non-Chord Tone 4^ Fa Non-Chord Tone Foundation Chordal Dissonance 5^ Sol Primary Stabilizer Non-Chord Tone Foundation 6^ La/Le Secondary Stabilizer Active Tone Chordal Dissonance 7^ Ti/Te Chordal Dissonance Non-Chord Tone Active Tone Table 3: Membership of Each Scale-Degree Function Arranged by Harmonic Function New Function Name Tonic Member(s) Subdominant Dominant Other Names Foundation (F) 1^ 4^ 5^ Base (Harrison), Trigger (Quinn) Active Tone (AT) 3^ 6^ 7^ Agent (Harrison), Trigger (Quinn) Primary Stabilizer (PS) 5^ 1^ 2^ Associate (Harrison and Quinn) Secondary Stabilizer (SS) 6^ 2^ 3^ Associate (Quinn) Chordal Dissonance (CD) 7^ 3^ 4,^ 6^ Functional Dissonance (Quinn) Non-Chord Tone (NCT) 2,^ 4^ 5,^ 7^ 1,^ (3)^ Non-Functional Diss. (Quinn) Foundation notes (F) are the central scale degrees of the function. Strong harmonic progres- sions use these notes frequently in the bass line. When writing triads in a four-voice texture, the foundation note of the current function should be doubled under ideal circumstances. Active tones (AT) are the \color notes" that determine whether the music is major or minor. They are also the notes that help propel the music forward to the next function. Consequently, these notes are sensitive and have a specific way of resolving when the next functional category is achieved. Together, foundations and active tones are the core scale degrees of the harmonic function, and are called Harmonic Functional Triggers. Stabilizers combine with the two functional triggers (foundation and active tone) to produce complete triads. The pitch a third above the two functional triggers is the primary stabilizer (PS), and the pitch a third below the triggers is the secondary stabilizer (SS). Most of the time, stabilizers are inert, but sometimes they may also act like dissonances in terms of how they need to be resolved. (See \How to Destabilize a Harmonic Function".) 2 CO NS NC O FU TION NA AL N Y T C R UNDATION R E A FO IG D R AC G N E T E IZ R O L ˆ IV C I 1 E S E B S A T T S ˆ ˆ O 6 3 N E S P T S R A E B I N TONIC M I L O A I ˆ ˆ Z T 4 5 R E R Y D R O H C C H - 2ˆ 7ˆ O N R O D N A E L D C I S N S O S N E A A C N N O S S I D CH RY ORD MA AL RI D P IZER I IL SS AB O ST N E ˆ A N 1 N S O C R T E D E E ˆ ˆ S I E 6 3 G S C V G S I N I O T R A N C T N A A L SUBDOMINANT O N A S N N ˆ ˆ C N 4 5 N O O E O I I N O T T - C A C C D H N N O U U ˆ ˆ R F O 2 7 D F T R E O Z I L I N B S A T E Y S R A D N O S C E E NC NA N-CHORD O NO TO S NE IS S D S E C 1ˆ S E N S C A T A O N ˆ ˆ 6 3 B N O I D L S I A S Z I R E D Y R L DOMINANT F A ˆ O D ˆ 4 5 U R N O D F H A U C T R N I E O C Z I ˆ ˆ N T L 2 7 I Y I B A O R A C C T N S T A I O V E A E N O T M I L N R T P S R I O G G E N R S A N C E Figure 1: Chart of Scale Degree Functions, based on Quinn's 2005 Chart 3 Chordal dissonances (CD) are notes that clash mildly with the current harmonic function, even though they still form relatively stable chords built in thirds. All chordal dissonances resolve down by step when the music progresses authentically (AP) to the next harmonic function. If the music progresses plagally (PP), then this is not required. Non-chord tones (NCT) cannot coexist with the stable notes in the current function. They must therefore be used only as embellishing tones. Non-chord tones resolve using traditional embellish- ment patterns either before or sometimes right when the next function is achieved. Embellishing melodic patterns include passing tones (PT), neighboring tones (NT), double neighbor figures (DN), appoggiaturas (App), escape tones (ET), anticipations (Ant), suspensions (Sus), and retardations (Ret). How to Determine Harmonic Function Before identifying a pitch's scale-degree function, you must know the harmonic function of the chord to which it belongs. To determine a chord's harmonic function, look at the scale degrees that make up the chord. All of the chord's notes should be foundations (F), active tones (AT), stabilizers (S), or chordal dissonances (CD) of its function. If there is more than one possible harmonic function for which this is true, or if there are non-chord tones in all three possible interpretations of the chord, choose the harmonic function that makes the chord contain its harmonic function's foundation and, if possible, its active tone. For the most commonly seen chords in tonal music, this means that: • I, I6, and iii chords have Tonic (T) function, • ii, IV, ii6, IV6, and all inversions of ii7, and IV7 have Subdominant (S) function, and • V, V6, vii◦6, and all inversions of V7, and vii◦7 have Dominant (D) function. How to Destabilize a Harmonic Function Stabilizers are pitches that combine with foundations (F) and active tones (AT) to form a triad.
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